Donating a kidney to my twin

Saturday

Jul 13, 2013 at 12:01 AMJul 13, 2013 at 10:36 PM

Paulette Ballard

As told by Julie Ferguson I have an identical twin, and the day I donated my kidney to her comes to my mind immediately as something unforgettable. The donation of an organ before the donor is 18 years of age cannot be accomplished without a court ruling. The donor’s parents are not allowed to make the decision, and a child can’t be forced to donate. The reasoning behind this is as an adult the child could go back to court and sue the parents if he/she was forced to donate an organ. My sister had congenital atrophic kidneys. The surgery took place on July 25, 1977, just before our 15 birthday. Approximately two years passed from the time we decided to donate one of my kidneys until the surgery was performed. Six weeks of that time was spent verifying my DNA was a match. Once we received confirmation of the match, I was considered an appropriate donor, and the remainder of the process began. Being a sibling donor allowed our name to be moved to the top of the list, and my sister would receive her kidney immediately. Kidney transplants were not that common in l977. TV reporters and the newspaper media wanted to sit in the galley of the operating room to watch the surgery and take notes. We refused to let the media watch, but since this was a teaching hospital, the medical students were allowed to view the procedure. After the donation of my kidney, my sister was completely cured of her kidney disease. Her new kidney will be 36 years old this year, and having only one kidney has never presented a problem for me. My family has been blessed that this procedure completely cured my sister of her disease, and she and I have lived full, happy, healthy lives since then. Each month, columnist Paulette Ballard shares a reader’s “Unforgettable Moment” — something they have experience that has had a profound affect or their life, or a story they will hand down to future generations. You can email the Lincolnton writer at pballardnc1029@yahoo.com.